School Arts Experience Grant
Fiscal Year 2023 Program Guidelines
The School Arts Experience Grant program supports the presentation of innovative fine arts activities, performances and educational content that expand learning opportunities for Iowa K-12 students in and outside of the classroom. The program provides support to schools, professional teaching artists and non-profit organizations to strengthen the role of the arts in student learning and achievement.
Funding for the School Arts Experience Grant program is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, a division of IEDA, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council and federal government through 2 CFR Part 200.
Questions
Potential applicants, especially first time applicants, are encouraged to review all published material and contact the Arts Council with questions well in advance of application deadlines.
Accessibility
The Iowa Arts Council is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For application support, please contact the Arts Council at least two weeks in advance of application deadlines.
Timeline
Fiscal Year 2023 Application Deadlines
Applications will be accepted on a quarterly basis throughout fiscal year 2023 which runs from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
Funding Notification
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email within four weeks of the application deadline.
Final Report Deadline
Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by August 1, 2023.
Funding
Grant Request Amount
Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
Minimum Grant Request: $500
Maximum Grant Request: $2,500
Match Requirement
Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing 50% cash matching funds to the grant request for project expenses. For example, an applicant that requests $1,000 in grant funds must have at least $500 in cash match a minimum total project budget of $1,500.
Funding Period
Grant funds must be used for expenses incurred within the eligible funding period of based on the date of application:
Applicant Requirements
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply:
Ineligible Applicants
Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities and individuals.
Project Requirements
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects include the following types of activities.
Projects that fall outside of the identified types of eligible projects may not request funding through this grant program. Note: School Arts Experience grants are intended to support exceptional needs and opportunities, rather than ongoing or operational costs related to a school’s fine arts education program.
Ineligible projects also include the following types of activities and projects.
Eligible Grant Request
School Arts Experience Grants support project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. The grant request must be dedicated to eligible one-time, direct project expenses, legitimate parts of the proposed project, and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses identified in the grant request should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request will be considered ineligible.
Eligible grant requests include direct project costs such as:
Expenses that fall outside of the identified eligible expenses for the project may not be included as part of the grant request. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request will be considered ineligible.
Ineligible grant request expenses include:
Match Requirement
Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing cash matching funds in an amount that is one half (50%) the total grant amount requested from the Iowa Arts Council. For example, an applicant that requests $1,000 in grant funds must have at least $500 in cash match for a minimum project budget of $1,500.
The required cash match must be dedicated to one-time project expenses that are legitimate parts of the proposed project. Expenses identified in the match should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants will be required to identify all anticipated cash match expenses and in-kind contributions beyond the grant request in the project budget as well as the anticipated revenue sources that will cover them. The cash match does not have to be secured at the time of application but must be secured and identified in the final report at the end of the funding period.
Iowa Arts Council Administered Grant Program Eligibility
Funding Priorities
Applications are encouraged from all applicants that meet the applicant eligibility requirements; however, priority will be placed on applications from individuals and organizations that are led by or primarily serve populations that have historically been under-resourced by arts and cultural funding due to rural geography, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status as defined in the Grants Terms and Definitions for fiscal year 2023.
Online Application Submission
Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for assistance related to the online submission.
Review Process
Department Eligibility Review
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published funding priorities and guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after a program deadline is not considered unless requested by a program manager. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with IEDA, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward to panel review and are specifically denied any appeals process.
Competitive Review
Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by staff with appropriate expertise commensurate to the purpose of the grant program. Applications will be scored and ranked based on the published scoring rubric. Recommendations are submitted to the Administrator of the Iowa Arts Council for consideration and funding approval. Applications will be awarded funding based on the ranked list, funding priorities, and available funding. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the department appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.
Decision Notification
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within four weeks of the deadline. Applicants are notified of the status of their application whether they are or are not selected to receive funding. Applicants will be contacted if any additional information is required and are encouraged to refrain from contacting staff for application status updates until funding decisions are made.
Application Narrative Questions and Scoring Rubric
The following scoring rubric will be used to evaluate applications. Each section has criteria and corresponding point values to ensure a fair review process. The rubric is on a scale of 18 points. Application questions are for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the Slideroom portal.
Applicant Profile - Schools and Nonprofits
Mission Statement
Enter applicant’s mission statement.
Applicant Profile
Describe how the applicant fulfills its mission and serves its target population, including:
Enter artist vision statement. This should be the vision for the artist's work overall not the vision for the project.
Applicant Profile
Describe how the applicant fulfills their artistic vision through their artistic practice, including:
Project Description
Describe the proposed arts learning project, including:
● specific arts learning goals, including the Iowa Fine Arts Standards, the project will help learners achieve
● grade level(s) of learners the project is targeting
Educator Profile
Describe the qualifications of the arts educator(s) and/or teaching artist(s) involved in the project and their experience creating lesson plans or arts learning content.
Budget
Grant Request Expenses
Itemize the eligible expenses that will be funded by the grant request, including a description and the dollar amount for each. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total grant request.
Match Expenses
Detail any cash match expenses or in-kind contributions outside of the grant request that are dedicated to the project, including the total cash amount or in-kind value, the funding source, and whether the funding source has been secured for the expense. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total cash expenses and total value of in-kind contributions.
Estimated Total Project Cost
Enter the total estimated cost of the project. This value should equal the sum of the grant request, cash match expenses and in-kind contributions. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas.
Work Samples
Upload 3-5 media samples that demonstrate the quality of arts learning experience and the proposed project.
Overall Application
The following scoring criteria reference the quality of the proposal and application as a whole and not a particular question.
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
Applicants should refer to the glossary for clarification of program terms and definitions.
Fiscal Year 2023 Program Guidelines
The School Arts Experience Grant program supports the presentation of innovative fine arts activities, performances and educational content that expand learning opportunities for Iowa K-12 students in and outside of the classroom. The program provides support to schools, professional teaching artists and non-profit organizations to strengthen the role of the arts in student learning and achievement.
Funding for the School Arts Experience Grant program is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, a division of IEDA, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council and federal government through 2 CFR Part 200.
Questions
Potential applicants, especially first time applicants, are encouraged to review all published material and contact the Arts Council with questions well in advance of application deadlines.
Accessibility
The Iowa Arts Council is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to eligible applicants. For application support, please contact the Arts Council at least two weeks in advance of application deadlines.
Timeline
Fiscal Year 2023 Application Deadlines
Applications will be accepted on a quarterly basis throughout fiscal year 2023 which runs from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
- May 2, 2022 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
- August 1, 2022 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of September 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
- November 1, 2022 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of December 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
- February 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM for the funding period of March 1, 2023 - June 30, 2023.
Funding Notification
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email within four weeks of the application deadline.
Final Report Deadline
Grant recipients are required to complete a final report by August 1, 2023.
Funding
Grant Request Amount
Applicants may request funding for eligible one-time project expenses that are incurred and expended within the eligible funding period.
Minimum Grant Request: $500
Maximum Grant Request: $2,500
Match Requirement
Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing 50% cash matching funds to the grant request for project expenses. For example, an applicant that requests $1,000 in grant funds must have at least $500 in cash match a minimum total project budget of $1,500.
Funding Period
Grant funds must be used for expenses incurred within the eligible funding period of based on the date of application:
- July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 for the May 2, 2022 application deadline
- September 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 for the August 2, 2022 application deadline
- December 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 for the November 1, 2022 application deadline
- March 1, 2023 - June 30, 2023 for the February 1, 2023 application deadline
Applicant Requirements
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply:
- Schools
- Public and private non-profit 501(c)3 schools or school districts that serve grades K through 12 and are physically located in Iowa whose primary orientation, mission and purpose is education and the awarding of academic credits.
- School districts and school foundations are eligible to apply for the same project on behalf of multiple schools within their district. For example, the proposed project could serve all 4th graders within the district.
- Nonprofits
- Federally tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations incorporated and physically located in Iowa
- Physical location of the organization is defined as maintaining a current home office and registered agent address in Iowa defined by Iowa Code 490.501 as well as maintaining a primary staff presence physically located and working in Iowa
- Entities located in a border community may be eligible under the Border State Policy
- Entities not yet formally organized may be eligible under the Fiscal Agent Policy
- Artists
- Professional individual teaching artist, including visual or performing artist, filmmaker, musician, or creative writer
- Current, full-time Iowa resident with permanent address in Iowa
- Legal Iowa resident as defined by Iowa Code 422.4 and Iowa Administrative Code 701.38.17 (422)
- 18 years of age or older
- An application must support a project that is initiated, produced, and/or managed by the individual teaching artist, not another entity or organization
- Individuals who seek funding on behalf of programs or entities that are not yet formally organized as a nonprofit must apply as an organization and adhere to the Fiscal Agent Policy
- Applicants who represent an artist collective, artist team, or band must apply as an individual on behalf of the group and clearly state their individual role in the project proposal as the individual will be legally obligated to the terms of the grant agreement
Ineligible Applicants
Ineligible applicants include the following types of entities and individuals.
- Applicants who have already submitted two unfunded applications for the same project
- For-profit corporation or business
- Individuals enrolled in any type of undergraduate or graduate degree granting program at the time of application
- Iowa Arts Council administered grantees who have already received a grant from the department for the current application funding period
- Cultural Leadership Partners, Strengthening Communities and Iowa Great Places with an active grant contract are not eligible to apply.
- IEDA grantees who have already received a grant from the department for any part of the project
- IEDA grantees with an outstanding final report or who have been placed on a department funding moratorium
- Nonprofit or public institutions of higher education physically located in Iowa
- Unit of state, local, county or federally-recognized tribal government physically located in Iowa, including public libraries
Project Requirements
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects include the following types of activities.
- creation and presentation of new or expanded fine arts learning content or resources intended for K-12 students
- collaborations between arts organizations and schools around increasing access to special artistic presentations, exhibitions or performances
- hiring teaching artists to share their expertise through creative and educational demonstrations, performances, or guided arts activities
Projects that fall outside of the identified types of eligible projects may not request funding through this grant program. Note: School Arts Experience grants are intended to support exceptional needs and opportunities, rather than ongoing or operational costs related to a school’s fine arts education program.
Ineligible projects also include the following types of activities and projects.
- Acquisition/purchase of artwork including public art
- Capital projects
- Collection maintenance or restoration
- Construction or renovation of a property
- Fundraiser or benefit event
- Lobbying activities
- Non-arts learning projects
- Ongoing projects or programming for which the identified beginning and end dates are arbitrary
- Project submitted by an individual that is initiated, managed by, or that benefits an entity or organization with which the individual applicant has a formal affiliation such as employment or volunteer service
- Projects that result in an applicant’s course credit, degree or certification
- Projects that occur prior to or after the funding period
- Projects that have already received an IEDA grant for any part or phase of the project
- Religious activities
Eligible Grant Request
School Arts Experience Grants support project expenses that are essential to the completion of the proposed project. The grant request must be dedicated to eligible one-time, direct project expenses, legitimate parts of the proposed project, and must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses identified in the grant request should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request will be considered ineligible.
Eligible grant requests include direct project costs such as:
- Artist Fees (e.g. creation, preparation, performance time)
- Materials or Equipment under a total of $5,000 per unit (e.g. paint, software, kiln)
- Material or equipment purchases must be part of a larger project and necessary for learning to occur. Requests that only include equipment or material purchases will not be considered.
- Marketing (e.g. print material, ad buys, design fees)
- Field Trip Costs (e.g. bussing, admission fees, chaperone stipend)
- Field trip costs may be submitted when the trip is directly connected to the classroom curriculum. Requests that only include field trip expenses will not be considered.
- Personnel Time Dedicated to the Project (e.g. planning, curriculum development, evaluation time)
- Applicants must demonstrate how personnel time is specifically dedicated to the proposed project. Personnel benefits are not eligible.
Expenses that fall outside of the identified eligible expenses for the project may not be included as part of the grant request. Applicants that include ineligible expenses in the grant request will be considered ineligible.
Ineligible grant request expenses include:
- Acquisition/purchase of artwork including public art
- Activity that results in an applicant’s course credit, degree or certification
- Budget shortfalls
- Capital expenditures, including equipment or materials over a total of $5,000 per unit
- Collection maintenance or restoration expenses
- Donations or contributions to other organizations
- Deficit or debt reduction, including loan, line-of-credit, or mortgage payments
- Expenses incurred prior to or after the funding period
- Foreign travel
- Food, beverage, and alcohol
- Fundraising or benefit costs
- Home studio/office costs or related expenses, including utilities and mortgage payments
- Lobbying activity
- Ongoing or operating expenses including utilities, rent/lease, office supplies, and personnel time that is not dedicated to the project
- Personnel benefits
- Prizes and awards
- Property maintenance, restoration or renovation expenses
- Unallowable expenses for federal awards as defined in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles
Match Requirement
Applicants are required to demonstrate investment in a project by providing cash matching funds in an amount that is one half (50%) the total grant amount requested from the Iowa Arts Council. For example, an applicant that requests $1,000 in grant funds must have at least $500 in cash match for a minimum project budget of $1,500.
The required cash match must be dedicated to one-time project expenses that are legitimate parts of the proposed project. Expenses identified in the match should be based on competitive, current market pricing. Applicants will be required to identify all anticipated cash match expenses and in-kind contributions beyond the grant request in the project budget as well as the anticipated revenue sources that will cover them. The cash match does not have to be secured at the time of application but must be secured and identified in the final report at the end of the funding period.
- Cash match is actual cash contributed to direct project expenses by the applicant or other funding sources
- In-kind match is donated goods or services contributed to the project by the applicant or other sources
- Funding from the state government cannot be used to meet the match requirement
- Funding from the federal government cannot be used to meet the match requirement
Iowa Arts Council Administered Grant Program Eligibility
- Applicants may only receive one Iowa Arts Council administered grant award per state fiscal year regardless of grant program
- Eligible individuals may only receive an Art Project Grant, Artist Catalyst Grant, Artist Fellowship, Greenlight Grant, or School Arts Experience Grant in a single fiscal year
- Eligible organizations, schools or communities may only receive an Art Project Grant, Capacity Building Grant, Creative Placemaking Grant, Cultural Leadership Partner Grant, Great Places Grant, or School Arts Experience Grant in a single fiscal year
- Applicants may not submit more than one application during a single grant deadline or cycle regardless of grant program
- Applicants may not submit more than two applications for the same project regardless of fiscal year if both applications are unfunded
- Projects may not receive more than one Iowa Arts Council administered grant regardless of applicant, phase of project or fiscal year
Funding Priorities
Applications are encouraged from all applicants that meet the applicant eligibility requirements; however, priority will be placed on applications from individuals and organizations that are led by or primarily serve populations that have historically been under-resourced by arts and cultural funding due to rural geography, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status as defined in the Grants Terms and Definitions for fiscal year 2023.
Online Application Submission
Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for assistance related to the online submission.
Review Process
Department Eligibility Review
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published funding priorities and guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after a program deadline is not considered unless requested by a program manager. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with IEDA, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward to panel review and are specifically denied any appeals process.
Competitive Review
Eligible applications will be referred to a competitive review by staff with appropriate expertise commensurate to the purpose of the grant program. Applications will be scored and ranked based on the published scoring rubric. Recommendations are submitted to the Administrator of the Iowa Arts Council for consideration and funding approval. Applications will be awarded funding based on the ranked list, funding priorities, and available funding. All funding decisions are final and may not be appealed due to dissatisfaction. Applicants may review the department appeals policy for information on grounds for appeal and the appeal process.
Decision Notification
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within four weeks of the deadline. Applicants are notified of the status of their application whether they are or are not selected to receive funding. Applicants will be contacted if any additional information is required and are encouraged to refrain from contacting staff for application status updates until funding decisions are made.
Application Narrative Questions and Scoring Rubric
The following scoring rubric will be used to evaluate applications. Each section has criteria and corresponding point values to ensure a fair review process. The rubric is on a scale of 18 points. Application questions are for reference only. Applicants must review and complete application requirements in the Slideroom portal.
Applicant Profile - Schools and Nonprofits
Mission Statement
Enter applicant’s mission statement.
Applicant Profile
Describe how the applicant fulfills its mission and serves its target population, including:
- description of programming and services
- recent notable achievements
| Applicant Profile - Schools and Nonprofits: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Applicant demonstrates a record of high quality programming or services and relevant notable achievements that clearly advance its mission and serve its target population. | Applicant offers programming or services that support its mission and target population. Relevant notable achievements are identified. | Applicant’s programming or services are limited, unclear or do not support its mission or serve its target population. Relevant notable achievements are not identified. |
Applicant Profile - Individual Teaching Artists
Vision StatementEnter artist vision statement. This should be the vision for the artist's work overall not the vision for the project.
Applicant Profile
Describe how the applicant fulfills their artistic vision through their artistic practice, including:
- type of artwork(s) created including concepts and medium(s) used
- notable achievements in artistic career or practice
| Applicant Profile - Individual Teaching Artists: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Applicant demonstrates active artistic practice with strong capabilities in concept and form. Applicant demonstrates a strong record of progress in their artistic practice through relevant notable achievements. | Applicant describes artistic practice, concept and form of work. Relevant notable achievements are identified. | Career activity, concept and form of work is unclear or inadequate. Relevant notable achievements are not identified. |
Project Description
Describe the proposed arts learning project, including:
● specific arts learning goals, including the Iowa Fine Arts Standards, the project will help learners achieve
● grade level(s) of learners the project is targeting
- the timeline for the project including specific dates for activities
| Project Description: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Arts learning goals are exemplary. Project description is clear. The fine arts standards being achieved are clearly defined. Confident project will be successfully realized through a clear, detailed timeline of tasks. | Arts learning goals are stated. Project description is satisfactory. The fine arts standards being achieved are defined. Project is achievable based on the timeline provided. |
Arts learning goals are unclear. Project description is unclear or inadequate. The fine arts standards are not identified, are unclear and/or do not seem achievable. Multiple concerns about project achievability. Timeline of tasks is insufficient. |
Educator Profile
Describe the qualifications of the arts educator(s) and/or teaching artist(s) involved in the project and their experience creating lesson plans or arts learning content.
| Educator Profile: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Applicant demonstrates educators involved with the project have significant experience developing effective arts learning content. | Applicant demonstrates educators involved with the project have some experience developing effective arts learning content. | Applicant demonstrates educators involved with the project have little to no experience developing effective arts learning content. |
Budget
Grant Request Expenses
Itemize the eligible expenses that will be funded by the grant request, including a description and the dollar amount for each. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total grant request.
| Expense Description | Grant Request Amount ($) |
Match Expenses
Detail any cash match expenses or in-kind contributions outside of the grant request that are dedicated to the project, including the total cash amount or in-kind value, the funding source, and whether the funding source has been secured for the expense. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas. Add a final "TOTAL" row at the bottom that identifies the total cash expenses and total value of in-kind contributions.
| Expense Description | Cash Match ($) | In-Kind Value ($) | Funding Source | Secured (Yes/No) |
Estimated Total Project Cost
Enter the total estimated cost of the project. This value should equal the sum of the grant request, cash match expenses and in-kind contributions. Round to the nearest dollar. Do not enter decimal signs or commas.
| Budget: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project budget and intended use of requested funds are clear and appropriate. Project demonstrates financial support by leveraging diverse sources of funding for cash match and in-kind expenses. | Project budget, intended use of requested funds and sources of funding for cash match and in-kind expenses are identified. | Project budget, intended use of requested funds or sources of funding for cash match and in-kind expenses are unclear or inadequate. |
Work Samples
Upload 3-5 media samples that demonstrate the quality of arts learning experience and the proposed project.
| Work Samples: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Work samples are of high quality and clearly demonstrate strong capabilities in artistic concept and form. | Work samples are of average quality and demonstrate capabilities in artistic concept and form. | Work samples are of poor quality or do not demonstrate capabilities in concept and form. |
Overall Application
The following scoring criteria reference the quality of the proposal and application as a whole and not a particular question.
| Case for Support: 3 points possible | ||
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Case for support is exemplary and merits investment from the state. | Case for support is average. | Case for support is below average or does not merit state investment. |
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
Applicants should refer to the glossary for clarification of program terms and definitions.